Music & Night life

Rapper Signif returns home with NYC skills

New York rapper and Milwaukee native Signif doesn't do much boasting about her skills on the mic when she doesn't have one in hand.

In the male-dominated genre, the emcee-turned-rapper says folks tend give her an odd look when she explains her musical interests and ambitions.

"That's why I don't tell people I'm an emcee outside of (people who work in or perform) music," said the 27-year-old, whose real name is El Smith. "People have all these preconceived notions."

She said that often, when she goes out to perform, "people assume that I'm there to support someone, sing, do poetry, anything and everything but rap. But that's the norm in today's society, to have someone pegged without knowing that person or even having a conversation with him or her."

Signif will return to her hometown Saturday night for multi-act show at Mad Planet.

A medical technician by day, Signif, who grew up on Milwaukee's north side, has been honing her skills since she was a child poet to create a cadence that's conscious, quick-witted and full of confidence.

Her sound is a throwback to battle emcees of the genre's early years; imagine an even more aggressive MC Lyte mixed with a similar level of wordplay as Philly female rapper Bahamadia.

Signif's latest EP, "Significant Wizdom," available free on her Bandcamp site, pits her rapid-fire flow with beats that are primarily sample loops and simple drum kicks. While the beats aren't stellar, her mic skills more than make up the difference.

While her rap career is picking up steam, SigNif worries about the future of hip-hop.

"It's kind of hard to tell, with so many trends and fads popping off," she said. "Hip-hop as a culture has lost its core values. It's in the wrong hands, being run by the wrong people and being pushed for the wrong reasons."

Still, she retains hope.

"As long as we have artists that stay true to themselves and their values, hip-hop will always vibe, maybe not in the limelight - but that's what it is right now."